‘Scrappy’ Fox extends lead in desert despite water woes
Despite finding the water on the last hole of the day, Ryan Fox headed into the weekend with a three-shot lead at the DP World Tour’s Ras Al Khaimah Classic in the United Arab Emirates.
The 35-year-old Kiwi backed up his career-best 63 in the opening round with a three-under 69 on day two to sit at 12-under, three strokes clear of the chasing pack.
Australian Jason Scrivener, Pablo Larrazabal of Spain, Italy’s Francesco Laporta and South African trio Justin Harding, Zander Lombard and Oliver Bekker are in a six-way tie for second at nine-under.
It wasn’t plain sailing for Fox, who mixed six birdies with three bogeys, including a dropped shot on the parfive 18th after finding the water off the tee.
“It was a bit scrappier than [the first round],” Fox said. “I didn’t drive it quite as well, was a little sloppy hitting in the water on the last — that doesn’t help — but hit my irons really good and gave myself plenty of chances.
“Hopefully I can just keep it going the next couple of days.”
Fox missed the cut at the same course last week, the first of two consecutive events at the Al Hamra Golf Club, later revealing he was struggling with a back injury.
But a weekend of treatment and rest may have done the trick, as he took one step closer to what would be his second Tour victory and first tournament win since 2019.
“I struggled with my back last week and I was fighting, everything was crossed over and I didn’t know where I was aiming,” he said.
“I was just pretty much trying to hit the ball and I was probably quite glad I had a weekend off.
“Had a lot of physio work over the weekend with the Tour physios and then with my physio from Tuesday onwards. That loosened everything up and I felt like I could turn through it again, I felt like I could start the ball where I wanted to, and from that point, it was kind of easy. I felt like I could hit my shot where I wanted to, which was a nice place to be.”